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245
Dec 2d  5

General

Your letter of the 31st ult was duly received. In the closing paragraph you direct me "not to [[abuse?]] the Negro by an apparent endorsement of the wishes of their former masters".

I beg that you will dismiss all apprehension on this subject. I have never forgotten for a moment, that my final and highest duty requires me to protect the freed people, in accordance with the solemn promises made to them by the Gov't. If a respectable military force is left in the State, [[?]] which all we can do, will be the [[?]] [[?]] [[?]]. I am willing to be held responsible to the Bureau [[?]] my Order, that the freed people of Georgia, shall, at last, be in [[?]] in their rights, as in any other Southern State.

It is to ensure this very object that I have as furnish- only and I may say unsuccessfully, sought the [[?]], support and operations of the [[?]] [[?]] [[?]]
[[?]] [[?]] of [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] another
[[?]] sharpen [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] [[?]]
[[?]] freed people[?] of Georgia. Today [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] only furnishing[??]]
[[?]] any man sought & convicted of offenses against the 

Transcription Notes:
same as next page No. The next page has bled through to this one.